Motor operated brake cylinder release valve



y 1, 1954 M. PICKERT MOTOR OPERATED BRAKE CYLINDER RELEASE VALVE Filed Jan. 7, 1952 INVENTOR. Mark Picker: BY

@vg dflm Aiiorneys Patented May 11, 1954 MQTQB QPE A E BRAKEv CYLINDER. RELEASE VALVE Mark Bickert, Watertown, N. Y., assignor to. The New var-k. Brake pany, a or oration of: New Je sey Application January 7, 1952, Serial No. 265,244

This invention relates to means whereby the brake cylinder release valves on a train can be operated by manipulation of the engineers brake valve.

Brake cylinder release valves are primarily intended for use in switching operations in the yard. When a train is to be broken up into its individual cars, it would be desirable for the engineer to be able to release the pressure in the brake cylinders of the entire train, thus doing away with the necessity ofa. brakemans opening the release valves by individual manipulation.

According to the present invention a brake cylinder release valve, of the type controlled by a normally inert pressure motor; is provided with a fluid pressure motor arranged to move th valve to release position. This fluid pressure motor is controlled in its operation by a charging valve, which permits the motor to be energized Only when the system is being recharged, after an emergency application ofth'e brakes. Thus it will be seen that normal service braking operation of the system is. not affected, 2

lhe invention will be described havin reference to the accompanying drawin in which is shown the equipment for a single car.

The preferred embodiment includes a. brake ipe I, an automatic control valve 2, the combined auxiliary and supplemental reservoirs 3 and 4 respectively, and the brak cylinder 5. The control valve 2 is of the well known AB type Which is, standard equipment on freight trains in this country. A brake cylinder release valve is interposed in the brake cylinder connection 1 between the control valve 2 and the brake cylinder 5. The main body portion of the release valve is shown at 6 and is the form of a cored casting having'a chamber 8 and a chamber a. The body is mounted on pipe bracket ll which has ham er i re comm ni at n espec iv l it chambers 8 and 9.. and i fiiec a ar h r The brake cylinder pipe I from the control valve 2 connects wi h racket H. and. s. in commun c on with he chamber 8- Chamber 8 is i mnicati n w th the brake. cylinder 5. hrou h the pipe 1a which is connected to the bracket l I.

h cha ers B a d 9 are separated by a downward pre ed valve sea I seat '2 s shown as formed on a spider it which is sealed by gasket it and I5 and which is clamped by a cap I6.

Cap 116 is bolted to the top of housing 6 and clamps the peripheral margin of flexible diaphragm l1 shown as of the slack or corrugated 4 Qlaims. (Cl. 303-68) The diaphragm I1 is subject on one face to the pressure in chamber 8- and on its other face to the pressure in the chamber [8 Ghamber I5. is connected by passage IS, with a chamber 2! formed in the body 6. The chambers, ill and 9 normally communicate with each other through the. radial ports 22 in the bushing 23, which is pressed into. an opening between these chambers, When the release valve is in abnormal or releas: ing position the chambers 2 l and 9 communicate through the ports 22 and the annular recess 26 and the drilled port 39 in the valve body 25.

Exhaust flow from the chamber 2,! is controlled by an upward presented valve seat 24. The valve body 25 is. guided in the. bushing 22 and carries on its lower end a rubber valve face 25 which normally seats against the valve seat 2 4 It also carries at its upper end a rubber valve face 2? which may close against, the valve seat 12 when the valve 26 is lifted from its seat 24.-

A valve stem 28 extends upward through the center of diaphragm I! and is clamped to the diaphragm by a flanged sleeve 29 and a thrust plate 3%. A spring 32 reacts between the thrust plate 3! and cap leand exerts a moderate bia on the valve body- 25 to urge it against the seat 2%.

The brake cylinder exhaust connection 3 3 from the control valve 2 is provided with a retainer The retainer 35 is manually adjustable so as to retain a selected pressure in the brake cylinder 5 when the control valve 2 is in release position. A secondary exhaust 35 extends between the corn nection 33 and the cored passage 36 in the pipe bracket ll. Flow through this connection 35 is controlled by a normally closed, spring loaded check valve 31.

The check valve includes a body 38 mounted in a bore in release valve body 5 and which is sealed against leakage through the bore by a gasket 38. A filter ll is provided to, protect the valve against the entrance of foreign matter. Thecheck valve assembly is held in place by a filler piece 42 which is bolted to the body 5. The bore 40 which extends through piece 62 has vent 5 A gasket 43 prevents leakage from passage 36 to atmosphere. A guide block 4 is pressed into the lower face of the body {5 and has an axial bore inwhieh an actuating stem (is is reciprocable. A spring 4.6. exerts a downward bias on the stem 45.

The p a a u d scribe up to. this oin is conventional and is d scribe and tl l flfifi in th Klein Patent Nu bel M sfits w ic as issuedon July 13, 19.48, to applicant's assignee.

. Fastened to the Lower ra e ille n ece 42 is a motor cylinder member 41. A slack diaphragm 48 is clamped at its periphery between these pieces. Located centrally of the diaphragm it is a thrust rod and plate assembly 49. The assembly 49 is guided by and reciprocable in an apertured block located in the motor cylinder M.

Fastened to the lower face of the cylinder It? is an end member 52. A second slack diaphragm 53 is clamped at its periphery between the cylinder 4? and the member 52. The diaphragm 53 is clamped at its center by a thrust rod and plate assembly 56 which is guided in the block Mounted in the lower end of the end member 52 is the universally tiltable head of the forked operating lever 56.

The motor cylinder Al is provided with restricted exhaust 51. The motor is supplied with air from brake pipe I through a pipe 58 and the charging valve se interposed in that pipe.

The charging valve 59 comprises a main body portion 6 i, a valve seat portion 62 and cap 63. A slack diaphragm 54 is clamped at its periphery between the portion 6! and the cap 63. The diaphragm es defines a working chamber 65 between its upper face and a suitable recess in the cap The diaphragm E4 is centrally apertured and clamped between a combined plate and push rod assembly 66 and a follower plate El. A spring 58 reacts between the assembly 65 and the portion 6| and exerts an upward bias on diaphragm.

The clearance volume between the diaphragm B 3 and portion iii is vented to atmosphere through a drilled port 69.

The cap piece 63 is provided with an upward presented valve seat H against which a check valve it is spring biased. A restricted port it extends through the valve 12.

The valve seat portion 62 is provided with an annular rib M which serves as a valve seat for a flexible diaphragm type valve l5. This valve includes a diaphragm l8 clamped at its periphery between the portions El and 62. A thrust rod and plate '5'! is clamped to the center of diaphragm 75 by a bolt it which extends through the center of the diaphragm. The thrust rod H is. engaged by the push rod of assembly 56 when the latter is in its lower position whereby valve '55 is held against its seat.

A passage it extends between the valve seats ii and M and is in restricted communication with the chamber 55 through a choke 81 which is somewhat smaller than the port 13.

A second motor chamber 82 is provided in the valve seat portion 62. A slack diaphragm 83 is. clamped at its periphery between the portion 52 and a cover 84%. A working space 85 is defined between the cover 84 and diaphragm 83. The diaphragm 83 is clamped at its center between the follower plate 86 and the flanged valve stemv 8'? which is guided by a spider 8S clamped between the portion EZ and the cover 86. A spring 6Q exerts a downward bias on the follower plate 26. Annular projection 9| serves as a seat for the rubber faced valve 92 carried by the valve stem Bl. A port 93 affords restricted communication between the space 85 and chamber 82. A passage 94 affords a flow passage from the diaphragm valve I5 to the chamber 82.

During normal operation with the brake pipe l and the reservoirs 3 and 4 fully charged and the control valve 2 in release position, the brake cylinder 5 is vented through the retainer 34. Under these conditions the pressure in chamber 65 of the charging valve 59 overcomes the bias of spring 68 thus maintaining the valve l5 closed. The vent 51 is therefore effective to vent the motor cylinder 47 and the passages 58.

The bias of spring 68 is such that during normal service operations the valve 15 remains closed. If when the brakes are applied it is desired to release the pressure in the brake cylinder on any single car or group of cars this may be accomplished by pulling the lever thus raising the valve 25 upward against the seat i2. This isolates the chamber 8 and the connection l and vents the brake cylinder 5, chamber 9 and the space iii past valve seat 2 and through the vent 50. The pressure in chamber 8 acting on the diaphragm l1 maintains the valve 25 in its upper or abnormal position until the control valve 2 moves to release position and vents the chamber 23. It should be noted that the retainer setting does not interfere with the self-restoring feature of the release valve because the secondary exhaust is opened through the check valve iii and past the valve seat 25' when the valve 25 is in its abnormal position.

When an emergency application is initiated by the engineers brake valve or by a condueuors valve (neither of which is shown in the drawings), the brake pipe i is vented. Brake pipe pressure in the chamber is vented at a restricted rate through the choke ti. The valve it, t erefore, remains closed until the pressure in the passage it is reduced sufficiently to preclude the pressure in the motor cylinder cl rising to a value sufhcient to raise the valve 25 and vent the brake cylinder 5.

With the brakes applied after an emergency application, the brake pipe I may be recharged by operation of the engineers brake valve. When the brake pipe pressure starts to rise the bias of the spring es is sufficient to overcome the force acting downward on the diaphragm 6d whereby the latter is'maintained in its upper position. Brake pipe pressure reacts on the diaphragm valve l5 and forces the latter off its seat it. Pressure is thus admitted to chamber 62 and reacts on the diaphragm t3 and opens the valve 92 whereby pressure is admitted to the motor cylinder The pressure inthe cylinder 4'! raises the valve 25 to its upper position and vents the brake cylinder in the same way as when the rod 56 is pulled. It will'be understood that the brake cylinder release valves throughout the train are thus moved to venting position.

When the brake cylinder release valves have been moved to venting position, the charging flow into the brake pipe may be discontinued. The train may then be broken up into its various cars.

If the pressure in the brake pipe continues to rise the bias of the spring 68 will be overcome and the valve is will be closed. When the valve it: closes, the vent 5i permits the pressure in the motor cylinder M to be dissipated, so that the upward bias exerted by this motor on the valve 25 is removed. When the brake pipe pressure reaches the pressure necessary to move the control valve 22 to release position the brake cylinder release valves are automatically restored to nor mal position.

The valve 92 operates to prevent flow to the motor cylinder t7, unless the rate of flow is sufficient to build up a pressure in the motor cylinder which will be eifective to actuate this motor. It will be noted that valve 92 opens when the pressure in chamber 82 is enough higher than the pressure in the space 35 to overcome the bias of the spring 89. The port 93 prevents a sufiicient differential being developed unless an adequate rate of flow to operate the valve motor is entering the chamber 82.

The specification contains several statements of direction. These relate to the invention as shown in the drawing, and may vary with the particular installation.

The preferred embodiment has been described ,in some detail, however, the inventive concept is not limited to this particular embodiment and no limitation to this construction is implied other than is expressed in the claims.

What is claimed:

1. In an automatic air brake system the combination of a brake pipe; an auxiliary reservoir; an automatic control valve having a brake cylinder connection; a brake cylinder connected with the brake cylinder connection; a release valve mechanism interposed in said connection, said mechanism comprising a dual valve having a normal position in which it opens said connection and. an abnormal position in which it closes said connection and vents said brake cylinder, and fluid pressure responsive means serving to retain said dual valve in abnormal position when in said position and subject to brake applying pressure and. to restore it to normal position when said pressure is released; normally inactive motor means serving when charged to shift said dual valve to abnormal position and having a charging connection thereto from said brake pipe; and a charging valve in said charging connection, said charging valve comprising a normally closed valve; a fluid pressure motor serving when charged with pressure in excess of a predetermined minimum to maintain the normally closed valve closed, means biasing said fluid pressure motor toward a position in which it is ineffective to hold said normallyclosed valve closed, and means affording a restricted connection between said fluid pressure motor and said charging connection.

2. The combination deflned in claim 1 and a secondary valve interposed in said charging connection between said charging valve and said fluid pressure motor, said secondary valve comprising a housing enclosing a chamber; a movable abutment dividing said chamber into two spaces, one of which is in open communication with said charging connection, means affording restricted flow between said spaces, a valve connected with said abutment and means biasing said valve and abutment toward a position in which the valve closes said charging connection.

3. The combination defined in claim 1 and valve means interposed in said charging connection between said brake pipe and said restricted connection said valve means permitting free flow from said charging valve to said brake pipe and per mitting a relatively restricted reverse flow.

4. The combination defined in claim 1 and manually operable means whereby said dual valve may be shifted to said abnormal position selectively by said manually operable means or by actuation of said motor means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,276,036 Culling Aug. 20, 1918 1,836,417 Webster Dec. 15, 1931 2,444,993 Klein July 13, 1948 

